One Size Cloth Diapers vs Sized Cloth Diapers

One size cloth diapers are the most popular choice in cloth diapering right now. Are they the right choice for your family? Sized diapers - or those that come in sizes such as Small, Medium and Large have their advantages as well. Let's look at some of the pros and cons of each type of diaper.

The most popular one size diapers right now are pocket diapers. These are diapers that allow you to add absorbency to meet your baby's needs and do not require a separate cover. Popular one size pocket diaper brands include bumGenius 4.0, Happy Heiny One Size and FuzziBunz One Size.

You can also find one size fitted diapers. These are absorbent diapers that require a waterproof cover in order to prevent leaks. You can even find one size diaper covers now.

One size cloth diapers have many pros and some cons.

Pros include:

One size cloth diapers are convenient. You only need to buy one set of diapers and in many cases they will last from birth to potty training.

One size cloth diapers are great if you have an infant and a toddler in diapers as you can use one set of diapers for both children (though you will need more diapers in rotation).

You can save a lot of money by only needing to buy one set of diapers if you do not plan to have more children.

One size cloth diaper cons include:

One size fits all may mean no size fits now. Some babies really do fit in one size diapers from birth to potty training. Other babies have awkward stages as they grow where no setting on a one size diaper fits them perfectly-resulting in leaks.

Any diaper will wear out with repeated washing over many years. You would not expect a pair of jeans to last through 3 or more washings a week for 6 years. No cloth diaper will hold up to that kind of use either. You can reasonably expect most one size diapers to last through a couple of years of washing if you follow the manufacturer's instructions. While buying one size diapers can save you money over buying separate sizes, if you plan to use them for more than one baby you may find them worn out before baby number 2 is anyhere near ready to potty train.

Using the same diapers day after day for years can get boring.

Sized cloth diapers have their pros and cons as well. Pros of sized diapers include:

Sized diapers offer a better fit for most babies in each stage. No diaper fits every child perfectly though, so if your baby is unusually tall, thin, or chunky you may need to try a few different diapers before you find the perfect diaper for your baby. Package deals offered by many cloth diaper sellers allow you to try several diapers at a reasonable cost.

One size diapers can be bulky on small babies. I personally hate extra bulk in my own clothing so I despise it in my baby's clothing and diapers. I much prefer having diapers that fit well at each stage even if that means having a larger stash of diapers.

Variety! I love having different prints and colors as a baby grows so I don't get bored with diapering. After all, if you are going to change 4,000-6,000 diapers you might as well have a little fun with it!

Since sized diapers usually fit for 5-15 pounds, they are used for a shorter period of time and therefore are more likely to be in good shape to pass along to the next baby.

Most babies use only the small and medium sized diapers, many potty train before they are big enough to use large diapers.

You will use fewer diapers in each size up, so you don't need as many mediums as small diapers, and even fewer large diapers. For instance, a newborn needs to be changed about 10 times a day, but an older baby may only need to be changed 6 times a day.

Either way you go, you are still going to save money and benefit the planet, so cloth diapering is a great choice no matter what your preferences. Many parents choose to have about one third of their diaper stash in sized diapers and the rest in one size diapers so they have plenty of choices as their baby grows.